irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2025
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $688KEXPERIENCE CORPS SMALL GROUP TUTORING: READ TO SUCCEED'S HIGH IMPACT TUTORING PROGRAMS, EXPERIENCE CORPS BUFFALO AND INTENSIVE TUTORING CORPS, RECRUITED, TRAINED, AND DEPLOYED 137 OLDER ADULT TUTOR/MENTORS WHO ARE WORKING FOUR TO SIX HOURS PER WEEK, EVERY WEEK OF THE SCHOOL YEAR WITH MORE THAN 400 STUDENTS IN KINDERGARTEN THROUGH 3RD GRADE CLASSROOMS ACROSS 11 TITLE 1 BUFFALO CITY SCHOOLS, ONE CHARTER SCHOOL AND ONE NIAGARA FALLS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
- #2 $119KDPIL: IN ADDITION TO THESE LITERACY COACHING, QUALITY IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMS READ TO SUCCEED REINTRODUCED DOLLY PARTON'S IMAGINATION LIBRARY IN 25 ERIE COUNTY ZIP CODES. AT THE END OF 2025 READ TO SUCCEED WAS MAILING NEW, AGE-APPROPRIATE BOOKS TO APPROXIMATELY 7,000 INFANTS, TODDLERS AND PRESCHOOLERS THROUGHOUT ERIE COUNTY.
named programs · 3 · from sources
What they call their work
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library (DPIL)
Reintroduced in 25 Erie County ZIP codes, mails free, age-appropriate books monthly to approximately 7,000 infants, toddlers, and preschoolers to promote early literacy at home.
Experience Corps Small Group Tutoring
Recruits, trains, and deploys older adult volunteer tutors to provide small-group literacy instruction to students in PreK through 3rd grade in high-need Title 1 schools across Buffalo and one Niagara Falls elementary school.
Western New York Children's Book Expo
Youth development event promoting children's literature and reading engagement; reported as an active program in 2020.
activities · 7 groups
What they do
-
Teacher Professional Development 2 activities
- Literacy coaching and professional development for teachers of economically disadvantaged childrenImplements the CARE model to provide literacy coaching, fidelity observations, and embedded classroom support for teachers of children from birth to 3rd grade. The program includes administration and analysis of student assessment data, progress monitoring, and structured planning time to improve instructional effectiveness in literacy.
- Professional development for early childhood educatorsDesigns and facilitates professional development modules to support teachers and child care providers in acquiring new knowledge and skills in early literacy instruction, with a focus on integrating five components of early literacy development into classrooms over a two-year period.
-
-
Early Childhood Developmental Evaluation and Screening 1 activity
- Developmental screening and assessment for young childrenConducts developmental screenings for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers using Ages and Stages Questionnaires® (ASQ-3) and other tools to monitor progress in communication, problem solving, personal-social, and motor skills, and supports data-informed instruction and program evaluation.
-
-
Structured Literacy Instruction and Dyslexia Support 1 activity
- Early literacy infusion and quality improvement for child care providersImplements a literacy infusion quality improvement program for licensed child care providers and Head Start programs in Buffalo, using Environment Rating Scale (ERS) tools to assess program quality and develop customized improvement plans. The program integrates foundational literacy components into early learning environments over a two-year cycle.
-
-
Play-Based Early Childhood Education 1 activity
- Foundational literacy instruction through dramatic play and science activitiesUses dramatic play and hands-on science activities to teach preschool students foundational literacy concepts such as book orientation, page turning, print meaning, and vocabulary development.
-
-
Children's Book Distribution Programs 1 activity
- Monthly distribution of free, age-appropriate books to children from birth to age fiveReintroduced Dolly Parton's Imagination Library in Erie County and mails new, age-appropriate books monthly to approximately 7,000 infants, toddlers, and preschoolers across 25 ZIP codes in Erie County, providing up to 60 books per child by age five.
-
-
Youth One-on-One Mentoring 1 activity
- One-on-one literacy tutoring and mentoring for PreK–3rd grade studentsImplements the AARP Foundation Experience Corps program by recruiting, training, and deploying adults aged 50+ as volunteer tutor/mentors who provide structured, 30-minute, one-on-one tutoring sessions focused on reading fluency and pre-reading skills to students in pre-K through 3rd grade who are below grade level. Each tutor mentors 2–4 students for at least 4 hours per week during the school year, serving over 400 students annually across 13 schools in Buffalo and Niagara Falls.
-
-
Early Literacy Promotion 1 activity
- Student choice in reading materials during tutoringOffers students choice in reading materials during Experience Corps tutoring sessions, including a range of fiction and non-fiction texts, to promote engagement and literacy development.
-
financials · form 990 · fy2025
revenue
Total revenue$1.10M
Contributions & grants$1.01M92%
Program service revenue$70K6%
Investment income$20K2%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$1.20M
Program expenses82%
Admin / overhead17%
Fundraising1%
Salaries & benefits$795K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$958K
Cash$651K
Investments$0
Liabilities$192K
Net assets$766K
Liquid reserves6.5 mo
6 years on record · 2020–2025 · YoY revenue +7.0%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2025
Who runs it
paid leadership · 1
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ANNE RYAN | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 40 | $167K |
board members · 11
- CARMEN SNELL ESQ — CHAIR
- CAROL GOULDING — DIRECTOR
- DAVID ROGERS — VICE CHAIR
- JENNIFER HAMILTON — DIRECTOR
- MARVEL E ROSS-JONES PHD — DIRECTOR
- MARY JO HUNT — SECRETARY AND GOVERNANCE CHAIR
- MICHAEL J NOAH — TREASURER
- PAUL OLSZEWSKI — DIRECTOR
- RICHARD MORRISROE — DIRECTOR
- SHAI ARNOLD — DIRECTOR
- VICTORIA NAPPO TICCO — DIRECTOR
relationships · 23
Who they work with
- AARP Partner — Collaborates with AARP on the Experience Corps Volunteer Program to support student literacy.
- AARP Experience Corps Partner — Collaborates with RTSB to provide tutor/mentors for literacy programs in Buffalo and Niagara Falls.
- AARP Foundation Partner — Partnered to implement the Experience Corps volunteer tutoring program in Buffalo.
- AARP Foundation Partner — Program partner for the Experience Corps literacy tutoring and mentoring initiative.
- AARP Foundation Partner — Provides the Experience Corps evidence-based model implemented by Read to Succeed Buffalo.
- AARP Foundation Experience Corps Partner — Collaborates with Read To Succeed Buffalo to engage adults 50+ as tutor/mentors in PreK–3rd grade literacy programs.
- Bezos Family Foundation Partner — Develops Vroom, a program promoted by Read to Succeed Buffalo to support brain-building caregiver-child interactions.
- Bezos Family Foundation Partner — Supports Vroom, a program for which Read to Succeed Buffalo is the local affiliate.
- Buffalo City Schools Partner — Collaborated to deliver virtual Experience Corps 1:1 tutoring through the district’s MS Teams platform in six partner schools.
- Buffalo City Schools Partner — Collaborates with Read to Succeed Buffalo on literacy initiatives, including volunteer tutoring placements.
- Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo Funder — Provided funding through a program expansion grant to bring Experience Corps to Buffalo City Schools.
- Enterprise Mobility Foundation Funder — Provided a $4,000 grant to support literacy coaching and tutoring programs.
- Erie County Partner — Partnering with Read To Succeed Buffalo to expand Dolly Parton's Imagination Library in Buffalo.
- Experience Corps Buffalo Partner — Collaborates with Experience Corps Buffalo to engage volunteer tutors and mentors.
- Experience Corps Volunteers Partner — Inaugural group of volunteers contributing to the organization's programs.
- Experience Corps Volunteers Partner — Inaugural group of volunteers involved in supporting RTSB programs.
- Experience Corps Volunteers Partner — Inaugural group of volunteers participating in the program.
- Head Start Partner — Works directly with Head Start teachers in classrooms to support literacy instruction.
- Health Foundation of Western & Central New York Funder — Provided a grant to expand Experience Corps programming to include PreK and additional schools in Buffalo.
- John R. Oishei Foundation Funder — Provided funding through a program expansion grant to bring Experience Corps to Buffalo City Schools.
- Niagara Falls City Schools Partner — Partner school district where RTSB is expanding its Experience Corps tutoring program.
- U.S. Department of Education Government — Funded Read to Succeed Buffalo through a four-year Early Reading First grant.
- United Way of Buffalo & Erie County Funder — Primary funder of the CARE Child Care program.
strategies · 4
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Developmentally Progressive, Standards-Aligned Literacy Instructionmethodology: standards-aligned_continuumBy aligning a sequential, developmentally appropriate continuum of literacy instruction—from listening and phonological awareness in preschool to phonics and comprehension in early elementary—with academic standards, we create coherent learning pathways that build on prior knowledge and ensure instructional continuity across settings and grades, leading to improved reading proficiency.
- Home-Based Book Distribution for Early Literacy Developmentmethodology: home-based_book_distributionBy providing monthly free books to young children, we build home libraries and foster early literacy development because access to print-rich environments at home increases exposure to language and stories, reinforcing school-based learning and promoting family engagement in reading.
- Intergenerational Volunteer Tutoring Modelmethodology: intergenerational_volunteer_tutoringBy engaging adults aged 50+ as trained volunteer tutor/mentors, we improve early literacy outcomes in PreK–3rd grade students because older adults bring social capital, consistency, and relational mentoring that enhances engagement and learning; simultaneously, this model strengthens community connection and purpose among older adults.
- Literacy-Infused Early Learning Environments with Embedded Coachingmethodology: embedded_coachingBy embedding evidence-based literacy components—language and vocabulary, comprehension, letter knowledge, sound, and print awareness—into child care and Head Start classrooms through sustained partnerships and supporting teachers with on-site coaching and fidelity monitoring, we ensure high-quality, consistent implementation that improves early literacy instruction at scale.